Thursday, August 11, 2011

I recently teamed up with Deena Abdulaziz to re-launch the website of her cutting edge store/gallery, D’NA, in Riyadh. The culmination of 7 months of hard work, I will be collaborating closely with the D’NA team as the site’s new editor, shaping content that, like The Polyglot, bridges East and West.

Abdulaziz is someone whom I have a great deal of respect for in the industry. In addition to blazing a trail in the business and exposing the wider fashion world to another face of the Middle East, she is also known for having a sixth sense when it comes to spotting young talent; often buying the first collections from designers who today are receiving CFDA awards.

We worked together to re-imagine the D’NA website as a virtual extension of the store. Through interviews with inspiring individuals we meet, to the behind the scenes photo-essays covering fashion week, the hope is to create a site the changes perceptions.

Since launching in 2006, D’NA has made its mission to inspire with a cosmopolitan mix of cutting edge design and art from around the globe. To celebrate the store’s fifth anniversary we created a custom APP which will be available at the Apple store, as well as an I-Pad version of the D’NA site to be launched soon. Members will now be able to connect to the D’NA universe at home and throughout the world.

Like the store, the D’NA website will constantly evolve with news and events. The Moodboard will feature a rotating selection of images and stories on all that inspires us in the worlds of art, culture, fashion and travel. These include exclusive interviews with fashion personalities, cultural figures and inspiring travel destinations; all brought to you by our international team of guest-editors scattered around the world from Beirut to Paris and beyond.

The new virtual Lookbook offers a tantalizing glimpse at the exclusive designs we will be featuring in the store each season.

As we begin to celebrate D’NA’s 5th anniversary, we have been hard at work organizing a series of exciting in-store events, trunk shows and exhibits that will bring the fashion world to your door step.

In September the site will come alive with specially commissioned pieces that have been months in the planning.

If you enjoyed reading the Polyglot, I do hope you will take the time to visit the new DNA site and sign up for the newsletter.

You can also follow us on Facebook and twitter for updates, news and inspiring stories.

About Me

The Polyglot was launched in 2007 in response to Condé Nast’s decision to not publish a Middle East edition of Vogue.
The purpose of this site is to change perceptions about the Middle East and its Diaspora, by bridging cultures through a shared appreciation for art, fashion and design.
Through cultural commentary, historical references and interviews with creative individuals shaping the region, the hope is to create a venue for cultural understanding and the exchange of ideas.
The Polyglot is a writer, educator and curator, whose work has appeared in various publications including Harper's Bazaar Arabia, Muraqqa, BROWNBOOK, Aramco World and Dia Magazine. The Polyglot serves as a venue for unedited versions of his published work as well as new material.
Contact The Polyglot at z.polyglot@gmail.com